The invention relates to basketball goal and backboard assemblies, and particularly arose from efforts to provide a compact assembly for shipping and also to provide maximum backboard playing surface in a minimum size outer dimension, to reduce material content and hence cost.
A basketball backboard is typically about 48 inches wide by about 36 inches high and made of various materials including wood, treated wood, particle board, fiberglass, etc. Fiberglass is considered by many to be superior because of its weather resistant qualities. The cost of a fiberglass board is determined by the unit cost of the fiberglass and the size of the board. Larger boards such as 54 inch by 36 inch are thus more expensive than a 48 inch by 36 inch board. In an effort to reduce cost, some manufacturers offer smaller size fiberglass boards, such as 46 inch by 32 inch and 44 inch by 32 inch. This smaller size reduces the playing surface area.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a reduced size backboard is provided having an outer dimension of 44 inch by 29 inch, but still providing 92% of the surface playing area of a 48 inch by 36 inch board. The invention includes other dimensions.
The invention also provides a basketball goal and backboard assembly which can be shipped in a compact carton meeting certain common carrier regulations, namely a girth plus longest dimension no greater than 108 inches. In the above noted preferred embodiment, the longest dimension of the carton is 44 inches to accommodate the length of the backboard. The girth, i.e. the dimension around the carton, is the 29 inch width of the backboard times two, plus a 3 inch carton depth times two, thus providing a girth of 64 inches. The longest dimension plus the girth is thus 108 inches. A specially designed user-assembled mounting plate and goal arm assembly is provided. The goal rim lays flat on the backboard in the shipping carton, and the mounting plate and goal arms each have a height less than 3 inches. To accommodate shipping carton thickness, the length or width of the backboard or the height of the mounting hardware is slightly reduced, and in the preferred embodiment the latter dimension is reduced.
Prior backboard and goal assemblies typically require a shipping carton having a girth plus longest dimension substantially more than 108 inches, and hence are not shippable by the noted common carrier. The larger shipping carton is typically necessitated by a larger backboard, and/or mounting hardware having a given minimum height which in turn increases the depth of the carton and hence the girth.
The present invention meets the 108 inch common carrier rule and also affords a significant cost reduction in backboard cost, particularly fiberglass, while still retaining the noted 92% of the playing surface area of a standard 48 inch by 36 inch board. The ability to ship by common carrier is particularly desirable for further cost reduction in inventory control, storage space, and the elimination of special handling techniques and freight arrangements.
The invention provides mounting bracket structure assembled by the user and yet still providing a precise 90.degree. relation between the rim and the backboard, notwithstanding tolerance deviations between the noted mounting plate and goal arms. Mating apertures are provided between the mounting plate and goal arms in the preferred embodiment for fastening by means of bolts therethrough. Fastener deviation in the diameter of the apertures and the bolts, even if slight, will cause a deviation in rim position from horizontal, particularly at the outer tip thereof. An interlocking mating nesting boss arrangement is provided where there is deformation of bosses upon tightened engagement by the bolts to enable flush nested engagement and precise 90.degree. mounting.